BITCOIN OASIS
Reimagine the future
speakers
Meet industry experts & visionaries in an intimate setting at Bitcoin Oasis. This is your chance to engage with the foremost thought leaders and pioneers in the field. Stay tuned for our full speakers lineup!
Stephan Livera
Bitcoin Podcaster
For over a decade, Stephan Livera has been one of Bitcoin’s most respected voices. As host of the Stephan Livera Podcast, he has interviewed the biggest names in Bitcoin, breaking down its economics, security, and long-term impact. With a background in finance and accounting from top firms like Deloitte and Macquarie Bank, Stephan brings a clear, no-nonsense approach to Bitcoin education—whether through his podcast, his writing for Bitcoin Magazine and the Mises Institute, or his talks at global Bitcoin conferences. He is now living in Dubai.
Ali Alnuaimi
Founder, Shafra
Ali Alnuaimi, a pioneer in nuclear technology and space exploration, has significantly enhanced the scientific progress of the UAE. He played a pivotal role in launching the UAE’s first nuclear reactor and was instrumental in starting the first fISsion chain reaction in the Arab world. Presently, Ali is leading the way in incorporating blockchain technology into the energy and financial sectors. With dual degrees in Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University and certification as a Senior Reactor Operator, he marries technical know-how with strategic foresight. Ali is widely acknowledged as a top-tier thought leader, offering vital insights that meld cutting-edge technology with established sectors, thereby influencing the direction of these industries’ futures.
Mohammed Alshiekh
CTO, DEMA Energy
Mohammed Alshiekh is deeply interested in Austrian economics, Bitcoin, and the intersection of technology and society. He explores how decentralization, incentive structures, and innovation shape the future, focusing on building resilient systems that empower organizations and drive sustainable technological progress.
As the CTO of DEMA Energy, he plays a key role in developing the balanced grid of the future. By integrating Bitcoin mining with demand response, he helps enhance grid stability, optimize energy use, and unlock new economic efficiencies in the energy sector.
He holds a BEng in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Birmingham and an MSc in Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. With over 15 years of experience, he has worked as a Telecommunication Engineer at Saudi Aramco, an Autonomous Systems Researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, a Data Science Consultant at the Saudi Authority for Data & AI, and the Director of Data Science at Mozn before becoming CTO at DEMA Energy.
Sagun Garg
Global Innovation Director, Bank Julius Baer
Sagun Garg is a Bitcoin expert with over 11 years in the space (Class of 2013), specializing in institutional custody, asset tokenization, inheritance planning, and corporate Bitcoin adoption. As a seasoned speaker, he has shared insights at major global conferences, including TabConf6 in Atlanta, the Netherlands Bitcoin Conference, and the World’s Biggest Bitcoin Conference in Nashville, where he joined a panel with Custodia Bank’s Caitlin Long and FV Bank’s Miles Paschini.
His expertise lies in Bitcoin self-custody solutions for enterprises, Lightning and Taproot assets, and the intersection of AI and Bitcoin in the hyperbitcoinization era. He actively works on applied Miniscript, BitVM, and enterprise custody solutions, helping banks transition to the Bitcoin standard.
Beyond speaking, he has angel invested in over 28 Bitcoin-native startups and has built and sold three AI/ML startups across Singapore, Hong Kong, and India. A Bitcoin globetrotter, he has attended conferences worldwide, orange-pilling his extended network. His Bitcoin journey began in 2014 when he received his first Trezor from OG Slush and bought Bitcoin via an ATM, solidifying his belief in self-custody.
A true Bitcoin maximalist, he continues to drive thought leadership and innovation in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Max Hillebrand
Head of security, Sound Money Solutions
Max is a praxeologist, entrepreneur, and contributor to several free and open source software projects. He is building freedom tech and consulting on self custody solutions.
MU'AAWIYAH TUCKER
Head of Mandalorian, MetaMadinaah
Mu’aawiyah Tucker is an accomplished educator in Islamic law, Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain technology. Since 2006, he has been teaching Arabic and Islamic studies, and later expanded his expertise into computing, Bitcoin, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies, with a focus on the Islamic perspective.
Nicholas Safford
General Partner, New Layer Capital
Nicholas is General Partner at New Layer Capital, a venture firm investing in tech companies building on Bitcoin since 2021. Nicholas is a seasoned executive in finance and energy, with a career spanning venture capital, private equity, and corporate M&A, including a significant tenure at Aramco, the world’s leading energy company.
Gregg Davis
Director MENA, BTC Inc
UK national, based in the UAE for 10 years. Having attended and had poor experiences at crypto events in the region, Gregg reached out to BTC Inc in 2022 to bring the Bitcoin Conference to Abu Dhabi. Using the landmark success of the inaugural Bitcoin MENA conference in 2024 as a launchpad, Gregg is now working on a bigger and better Bitcoin MENA 2025 along with launching Bitcoin Magazine, Bitcoin for Corporations and UTXO Managment into the GCC region. Yacht Captain by trade, Bitcoiner by nature.
Haris Basit
Chief Strategy Officer, Bitdeer Technologies Group
Senior executive and entrepreneur with proven ability to: innovate; identify key strategic advantages; raise funds from VCs, private investors, public corporations and government entities; build and lead world-class technical teams; manage through crises; initiate and negotiate business partnerships and acquisitions; and deliver high-margin revenue through diverse business models.
Signifiant expertise in EDA, Semiconductors, High-Frequency Trading software, crypto currencies and licensing intellectual property.
Lionela Todirean
Founder, Coach Lio
Zeid Bataineh
Marketing Director, CoinMENA
Zeid Bataineh is a Bitcoin-focused marketing leader and financial literacy advocate. After discovering Bitcoin in 2017, he became compelled by its potential to address society’s core issue: broken money. Driven by the belief that Bitcoin can reform our monetary system and usher in a new era of productivity, he advocates for education-first strategies to onboard users into crypto responsibly.
Nico Lechuga
founding partner, ego death capital
Nico Lechuga is a co-founder and general partner of ego death capital, where he focuses on leading the fund’s operations, investment strategy, and founder support. Since the fund’s inception in early 2022, Nico has been instrumental in establishing ego death capital as a leading voice in Bitcoin-focused venture capital. Drawing from his entrepreneurial and operational expertise, he ensures the fund provides comprehensive assistance to portfolio companies, from strategic guidance to network expansion.
Beyond ego death capital, Nico co-founded Señor Lechuga Hot Sauce in 2017 alongside his wife, Lauren. He brings his entrepreneurial success in building a profitable and self-funded consumer brand into the venture ecosystem, offering unique insights into scaling businesses sustainably. His leadership in both ventures underscores his commitment to fostering innovation and creating long-term value.
Preston Pysh
General partner, ego death capital
Preston Pysh, a general partner at ego death capital, co-leads Fund II with the founding GPs, leveraging his expertise in strategic leadership and systems thinking to drive the fund’s investment success. Since joining as an advisor in 2022 and now stepping into a leadership role, Preston plays a pivotal part in shaping the fund’s strategy and supporting founders in scaling transformative businesses within the Bitcoin ecosystem. His analytical approach and commitment to innovation align seamlessly with ego death capital’s mission to be the premier venture fund in this space.
Preston’s extensive background, including a decade-long military career as an AH-64D helicopter attack pilot and commander with the 101st Airborne Division, informs his disciplined and methodical approach to venture investing. His experience managing multi-billion-dollar engineering programs at the Department of Defense further equips him to evaluate complex technologies and drive operational excellence. As the co-founder of The Investor’s Podcast Network and host of “We Study Billionaires” and “Bitcoin Fundamentals,” Preston brings unparalleled insights into finance and Bitcoin, connecting ego death capital to a global audience of investors and innovators.
FARIS ALjehani
CEO DEMA ENERGY
Faris Aljehani is the Founder and CEO of DEMA Energy, DEMA Energy is an energy-tech company committed to optimizing and increasing the efficiency of energy systems through demand-side flexibility, primarily via the use of Bitcoin Mining. Faris holds a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering – Energy and Power Systems from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (2019 to 2020) and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia (2009 to 2013). Prior to establishing DEMA, Faris worked for Saudi Aramco as part of the project management team, working on multiple projects in the Shaybah Oil Field.
harris irfan
Founder & CEO, Cordoba Capital Markets / Advisor, Onramp MENA
With an extensive background in Islamic finance and the broader financial sector, Harris has held senior roles at several esteemed institutions. His expertise in both conventional and Islamic finance, paired with his enthusiasm for financial technology innovation, aligns seamlessly with Onramp MENA’s mission to deliver top-tier Bitcoin advisory services and education. Among Harris’s notable achievements are the co-founding of the Islamic Finance team at Deutsche Bank and the founding of Cordoba Capital, where he has led advancements in Islamic finance and fintech innovation.
Ralph Gebran
Managing Partner, Onramp MENA
As a Bitcoin advocate and believer in the principles of sound capital and hard money, I have transitioned from traditional finance to a role where I can fully integrate my expertise with my passion for Bitcoin. I am proud to serve as the Managing Partner at Onramp MENA, where we are pioneering the responsible introduction of Bitcoin to the Middle East and North Africa through comprehensive advisory and educational services.
With over a decade of experience in traditional finance, I bring deep expertise in sales, sales enablement, and marketing to the dynamic and transformative world of Bitcoin. My professional journey is driven by a commitment to excellence and a firm belief that Bitcoin can significantly enhance the global financial landscape by offering a decentralized, transparent, and ethical alternative to conventional monetary systems.
Rahim Ladjici
CEO, W3C
Rahim is a former Senior Manager at PwC Advisory with over 14 years of experience in financial services. He has strong expertise in business development and managing transformation projects within the financial services industry.
Rahim was part of the team that established VARA, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, and is currently the CEO of W3C, a company that supports crypto companies in their compliance and licensing journey
irina heaver
Lawyer Neoslegal
Irina is a leading Bitcoin, Web3, and Crypto lawyer based in Dubai and Switzerland, representing clients worldwide. Irina has consulted multiple Governments and Regulators on policies surrounding emerging technology and has drafted crypto-related laws and regulations.
Her nearly two decades of experience have led her to advise on over USD $500 billion worth of projects and transactions in the oil & gas, mining, construction, maritime, and technology sectors. Irina’s expertise is in aiding visionary entrepreneurs with legally compliant launches, capital formation, and growth, leveraging her vast network in the Middle East and Europe.
Sooly Kobayashi
Founder, NeoWealth
Sooly Kobayashi is a Lebanese Bitcoin strategist and the founder of neowealth.xyz, guiding businesses, family offices, and governments across the Middle East & Africa in adopting Bitcoin for treasury, payroll, payments, and energy monetization. With 20+ years of experience in corporate leadership, family offices, and crisis management, he translates Bitcoin’s potential into real-world strategies.
A trusted advisor to Bitcoin companies, startups and associations, Sooly helps institutions navigate Bitcoin adoption with clarity and confidence. His firsthand experience using Bitcoin during Lebanon’s economic collapse fuels his mission to drive financial sovereignty in the Global South. He also founded NostrArabia, the first Arabic Nostr relay, expanding Bitcoin’s impact across MEA.
Chris Ehlers
Director of Data Science & AI African Renewable Developments pty ltd
Chris is an accomplished power generation and Independent Power Producer executive across renewable energy as well as gas-fired power plants with a large span of his career active in the Middle East. He is the ex-ACWA Power Renewables COO having implemented more than 1000 MW of solar and wind projects in MENA. CHRIS CONSULTS ON GREEN & CONVENTIONAL POWER GENERATION CAPACITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR DATA CENTERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND DEVELOPS RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS.
KRISTIAN CSEPCSAR
Bitcoin miner & Chief of Propaganda at Braiins
Braiins is a global leader in bitcoin mining innovations, providing high-quality software and hardware products worldwide. They operate the world’s longest running bitcoin mining pool since 2010.
Steven Brown
Founder & Principal Adaptive Strategy & Governance Consulting
Steven Brown, the former managing partner of the Bahrain Office of ASAR – Al Ruwayeh & Partners law firm, is the founder and principal of the recently incorporated AS&GC consulting firm. His vast experience in transactional legal work, including leading global and regional business restructuring in (among others) the financial sector, and the recognition of a competitive niche for corporate governance and strategic regulatory services, led to his move into this new field. Steven has long advised, previously from a legal perspective and now from a comprehensive business perspective, on Bahrain ventures including Crypto asset businesses. With a BS (magna cum laude) in statistical economics from Marquette University followed by a JD from Washington University in St Louis, Steven’s well-rounded educational and practical credentials allow him to provide 360° solutions to the challenges faced by his clients.
Maziar Yazdanian
Vice President, Greenstone Equity Partners
Maziar has been working in the banking, asset management and fundraising industries in Dubai for c.10 years, working with private clients, family offices (single and multi) and financial institutions across the GCC. More recently with Greenstone, he has been focused on alternative investments across the various asset classes.
Lara Eggimann
Founder, Bitcoin Arabia
Lara is the founder of the Bitcoin Arabia and main organizer of Bitcoin Oasis. The Bitcoin Arabia has the mission to grow the Bitcoin ecosystem in the GCC and to connect the right dots. Lara has a background in economics and worked as an IT project manager.
In 2017, she found Bitcoin and started organizing Bitcoin events in Switzerland. She now proudly calls the UAE her home and works full-time on expanding the Bitcoin community in the Gulf countries.
Christian Naef
CEO & Co-Founder RY3T
As a former Tesla employee, Christian is revolutionizing the heating market with a plug-and-play Bitcoin heating system for family homes and apartment buildings. Christian loves to rethink products and question the status quo, and he is convinced that true change can only be achieved through a certain level of risk and naivety.
THIERRY ADANT
CIO Newmarket Capital and Battery Finance
Newmarket Capital is an employee-owned asset manager with $3bn in assets under management.
Since 2013 we manage capital on behalf investors globally across private credit mandates across infrastructure, specialized lending and securitization.
In 2022 we established Battery Finance to harness the energy of bitcoin. We generate value by fusing real-world assets, such as real estate and infrastructure, with bitcoin.
Unveiling in Progress, Stay tuned as we introduce our prestigious lineup
For more details please contact us on hello@bitcoin-oasis.com
